Bombings Reported in Pakistani Cities of Karachi, Lahore

At least 14 people were killed and scores of others were wounded today in suicide bombings in the major Pakistani cities of Lahore and Karachi. Both attacks appear to have targeted Shi’ites primarily, and killed significant numbers of police as well.

The Karachi strike hit the Saudabad Police Station, with a suicide motorcyclist detonating alongside a police van and killing three. Four others were also reported wounded. The police station was responsible for security for a Shi’ite religious commemoration.

The attacks are just the latest in a growing string of violence across Pakistan, particularly in Karachi where the violence has intermittantly broken out every few weeks over the past year. Though violence is still worst along the Afghan border these two major cities are both on the opposite side of the country, and still appear to be heavily affected by the growing insurgency.